Pump



April 30, 1957 A. J. TURPIN 2,790,597

PUMP

Filed June 14, 1954 2 sneetssheet 1 TS1 i PUMP Alexander J. Turpin, Stewart Manor, N. Y., assignor to Hauck Manufacturing Co., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 14, 1954, Serial No. 436,329

16 Claims. (Cl. 10S-172) This invention relates to pumps, and more particularly to a combined seal and check valve for the same.

Tanks are often provided with a pump mounted in the wall of the tank and arranged to build up a head of air pressure over a liquid in order to feed the liquid to a liquid-.consuming device. A typical case is for the feed of a liquid fuel to a burner. The usual pump for this purpose comprises a cylindrical barrel having a plunger passing through the outer end, and having its inner end sealed by means of a cap, which in turn carries a check valve. The cap and barrel may be matingly threaded and provided with a gasket, or the parts may be soldered together, either of which causes considenable expense in manufacture. The check valve is also costly, and in simplest conventional form requires ve parts, some of which are threaded.

The primary object of the present invention is to improve, simplify, and cheapen the cost of manufacture of such pumps. In accordance with my invention a single O ring may be used ras a seal at the end of the barrel, and also :acts as a check valve. Moreover, with my improved construction the end cap may be replaced by a plug which is simply driven into the end of the barrel.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention resides in the pump elements, and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings, in' which:

Fig. 1 is a partially sectioned side elevation of a typical apparatus in which the pump may be used;

Fig. 2 is :a longitudinal section through a pump ernbodying features of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken approximately in the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the lower end portion of a modified form of pump embodying features of my invention; i

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken approximately in the plane of the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 isa longitudinal Vsection through still another form of pump embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 7 isa transverse section taken approximately in the plane of the line 7--7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section through the lower end of another modication of the pump;

Fig. 9 is la fragmentary section through the upper end of a pump showing a modification thereof; and

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section through the lower end of a modification of the pump shown in Fig. 8, the section being located at an interlock corresponding to the interlock 122,126 in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawing, :and more particularly to Fig. 1, the apparatus there shown is a torch llame burner. It comprises a fuel tank 12 from which fuel is supplied through a flexible hose, parts of which are shown at 14, and which hose leads vto a. burner assembly comprising control valve 16, a metal pipe 18, and a nozzle assembly nted States arent O 20. The latter may be conventional and need not be described in detail, it comprising the usual heating coil 22 for regenerative action, a vaporizing plug 24, and burner pan 26. Fuel is put into the tank through a suitable filler plug 28. A head of air pressure is built up above the fuel by means of an air pump 30. The pressure may be read on a .suitable pressure gauge 32. The liquid fuel rises through a siphon pipe 34 to a valve 36, and thence to the flexible hose 14. The pump Btl is operated by a handle 38.

The present invention centers about the pump, and one form of my improved pump may be described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. The pump comprises a cylindrical or tubular barrel 40. The pump plunger comprises a rod 42 connected at its lower end to 'a piston made up of a cup 44, which is leather or the like, and a metal backing 46. There is also a washer or support 48 on bottom, but this is small in diameter in order to permit the desired flexing of the cup so that it will act as its own valve, thus affording passage of air around the cup when the plunger is pulled outward, but not when it is pushed inward. The parts are secured at the lower end of rod 42 bymeans of Ia nut 56, and in the present case the disc 46 also is threaded so that rod 42 need not be stepped in diameter.

The barrel 40 is provided intermediate its ends with an externally threaded bushing 52, the outer part of which has flats 54 acting as a nut. The bushing is secured and sealed to the barrel, las by means of solder or welding indicated at 56. It will be evident that because of the bushing the pump may be inserted through and secured to a wall of the fuel tank, which Wall itself has an appropriately threaded opening or reinforcing collar to receive the bushing.

The barrel 40 is closed lat the top by means of a cap 58 having an air vent 60. This cap may, if desired, be provided with a pump lock element indicated 'at 62, and cooperating with a mating pump lock element 64 secured on the pump rod 42 along with the handle 38 by means of a nut 66. It will be understood that the handle may be pushed down while turned in one direction, and then rotated to bring the locking parts into engagement.

The motion of the pump may be cushioned in either or both directions by means of suitable shock springs. In the present case there is a spring 68 on rod 42 which cushions the outward movement of the plunger. There is :a spring 70 secured in plug 72 which cushions the inwardmovement of the plunger.

My improvement mainly centers about the lower end of the pump, and referring thereto it will be seen that the lower end of b'arrel 40 is closed by means of a solid metal plug 72. There is also an O ring 74 made of an `elastic material and positioned between the end 76 of the barrel and the part 78 of the plug. There is an air passage 80 leading from the inside of the pump to the inner surface of the 0 ring 74.

When so located the ring acts both as a seal between the plug 72 and the barrel 40, and also as a relief and check Valve for the pump action. The plug is preferably annularly channeled, as indicated at 82, and is stepped `outward to provide the seat 78, and the O ring 74 is received between the end 76 of the barrel on one side, and the seat 78 on the other. These parts 76 and 78 may be disposed at an acute angle, preferably in a range of from thirty to forty-tive degrees, and the surfaces are preferably given a smooth machined finish. The O ring is preferably made of a fuel-resistant rubber, preferably an artificial rubber such as Neoprene, so that it will not be affected by the kerosene or other hydrocarbon fuel stored in the tank.

In Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that the end plug 72.. has an axial hole 84 extending partway from the inner end toward the outer end of the plug, and one or more,

in this case three, radial holes 80, communicating with the center hole 84 at their inner ends, and with the annular channel 82 at their outer ends. The shock spring 'gg may be received in and supported by the axial passage It will be evident that the O ring 74 functions as a relief valve and check valve during 'operation of the pump. Moreover, when under surrounding pressure the ring 74 serves not only as a pump valve, but also as a seal between the plug 72 and the valve 40. Thus the plug does not have to be fitted to the barrel by means of a screw fit with a gasket, or by means of a soldered connection, in order to make the same leak-proof. The plug is simply forced into the end of the barrel with a force fit, and while the iit should be mechanically strong, it need not be air-tight, for the O ring 74 provides the necessary seal. A

Indeed this feature is so marked that the desired air passages may be provided around the periphery of the plug. Such an arrangement is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing. in which it will be seen that the plug has no radial and axial passages such as the passages 80 and 84 shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Instead the upper part of the periphery of the plug is knurled or iluted as shown at 90. The maximum diameter of the plug is made slightly greater than the internal diameter of the barrel 92, and the relatively sharp edges or teeth embed themselves slightly in the barrel as the plug is driven into position. There remain a large number of air passages between the plug and the barrel, and these all lead to the channel 94 lin which the O ring 96 is received. It will be seen that the O ring 96 acts as a check valve during the pumping operation. It further acts as a seal during and after the pumping operation, and effectively prevents escape of air through the pump despite the large number of air passages between the plug and the barrel.

Fig. 4 shows a shock spring 98 to limit outward movement, but there is no shock spring to limit inward movement. Such a shock spring may be provided at the upper end of the pump, as shown at 100 in Fig. 9. Moreover, it is not essential to employ a shock spring, and instead the motion of the plunger downward may be positively limited as indicated in Fig. 6, in which the collar 102 forming a part of the handle assembly bears directly against the top of the cap 104. The plunger rod 106 is preferably made of such length that its lower end 108 does not reach or hit the top of the plug 112. This proportioning of the parts is particularly desirable when using a plug which is simply pressed into the lower end of the barrel as here described, for otherwise repeated hammerings by the lower end of the plunger might shift or dislodge the plug.

The desired air passage from the pump cylinder to the O ring may be provided in other ways, as by means of a few spaced notches or channels in the periphery of the plug. Another way to provide air passages is shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in which it will be seen that the upper portion 110 of the plug 112 is faceted with a polygonal cross-section. In the form here illustrated the section is hexagonal. The outside diameter of the hexagon is made slightly greater than the inside diameter of the barrel, and thus the plug may be driven into the barrel with a force fit. The facets or flats of the hexagon provide substantial air passages around the plug.

Here again precaution may be taken against dislodgment of the plug by the plunger. For this purpose the handle is positively stopped as indicated at 102, 104 (Fig. 6) before the lower end 108 of the plunger reaches the plug. If desired a shock spring may be used at the top of the pump, as indicated at 100 in Fig. 9.

Another modified form of my invention may be described with reference to Fig. 8. In this form of the invention the upper portion 120 of the plug is peripherally grooved or channeled as indicated at 122. After the plug has been driven into the lower end of the barrel 124 it is further locked in position by deflecting or spinning some of the metal of the barrel into the groove 122, as shown at 126. With this arrangement the air passage to the channel 12S within the O ring 130, may be provided by means of axial and radial holes 132 and 134, much as was described in connection with Figs. 2 and 3. lf desired a shock spring may be mounted in an enlarged axial passage, just as was shown in Fig. 2, or such a spring may be provided at the upper end of the pump, as shown in Fig. 9.

l t will be understood that air passages may be provided along the periphery of the plug despite the mechanical interlock 122, 126. For this purpose a number of grooves may be cut in axial direction as shown at in Fig. l0, the only requirement being that these grooves be deeper than the annular groove 142 which is used for mechanical interlock with the barrel, and which corresponds to the groove 122 in Fig. 8.

It is believed that the construction, assembly, and operation of my improved pump, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will be understood that while I prefer to use the O ring as both a valve and a seal, some though not all of the advantages of the invention are obtained by using it as either instead of both. It will therefore be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in several preferred forms, changes may be made in the structures disclosed, without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be detined in the following claims. In the claims the reference to the sides of the groove being at an acute angle to one another is not intended to require that each side be rectilinear in cross-section.

I claim:

1. A pump comprising a barrel, a plunger operated through one end of the barrel, a plug partially inserted for an appreciable distance into the other end of the barrel, means mechanically locking the plug in the barrel, and an 0 ring made of an elastic material positioned between the end of the barrel and the outer part of the plug, there being an air passage between the inside of the barrel and the inner surface of the O ring, whereby said ring acts both as a seal between the plug and the barrel and as a check valve for the pump action.

2. A pump as defined in claim 1, in which the inner part of the plug received within the barrel and the inner part of the end of the barrel receiving the same are made non-mating in cross-sectional configuration in order to provide air passages between the inside of the barrel and the O ring.

3. A pump as defined in claim l, in which one of the adjacent surfaces of the plug and barrel is axiallyA serrated to provide air passages between the inside of the barrel and the 0 ring.

4. A pump as defined in claim 1, in which the periphery of the part of the plug received within the barrel is faceted with a polygonal cross-section in order to provide air passages between the inside of the barrel and the "O ring.

5. A pump comprising a barrel, a plunger operated through one end of the barrel, a plug partially inserted for an appreciable `distance into the other end of the barrel, means mechanically locking the plug in the barrel, and an O ring made of an elastic material positioned between the end of the barrel and the outer part of the plug, there being an air passage between the inside of the barrel and the inner surface of the O ring, whereby said ring acts both as a seal between the plug and the barrel and as a check valve for the pump action, said'plug being annularly channeled and stepped to provide an annular seat spaced from the end of the barrel, said O ring being received between the end of the barrel on one side and the seat on the other.

6. A pump as defined in claim 5, in which the periphery of the part of the plug received within the barrel is axial- 1y serrated to provide air passages between the inside of the barrel and the 0 ring.

7. A pump comprising a barrel, a plunger operated through one end of the barrel, a plug partially inserted for an appreciable distance into the other end of the barrel, means mechanically locking the plug in the barrel, and an O ring made of an elastic material positioned between the end of the barrel and the outer part of the plug, there being an air passage between the inside of the barrel and the inner surface of the 0 ring, whereby said ring acts both as a seal between the plug and the barrel and as a check Valve for the pump action, said plug being annularly channeled and stepped to provide an annular seat spaced from the end of the barrel, said O ring being received between the end of the barrel on one side and the seat on the other, said barrel endand seat being disposed at an angle of from thirty to forty-tive degrees.

8. An air pump for use within a fuel tank to place the fuel under a head of air pressure, said pump comprising a barrel, a plunger operated through the outer end of the barrel, a plug partially inserted for an appreciable distance into the inner end of the barrel, means mechanically locking the plug in the barrel, and an 0 ring made of a fuel-resistant rubber positioned between the inner end of the barrel and the outer part of the plug, there being an air passage between the inside of the barrel and the inner surface of the 0 ring, whereby said ring acts both as a seal between the plug and the barrel and as a check valve for the pump action.

9. A pump as defined in claim 8, in which the inner part of the plug received within the barrel and the inner part of the end of the barrel receiving the same are made non-mating in cross-sectional configuration in order to provide air passages between the inside of the barrel and the 0 ring.

10. A pump as defined in claim 8, in which one of the adjacent surfaces of the plug and barrel is axially serrated to provide air passages between the inside of the barrel and the O ring.

11. A pump as defined in claim 8, in which the periphery of the part of the plug received within the barrel is faceted with a polygonal cross-section in order to provide air passages between the inside of the barrel and the on ring.

12. A pump as defined in claim 8, in which the barrel has an externally threaded bushing located intermediate its ends, whereby the pump may be received in a matingly threaded opening in the wall of the fuel tank in which the pump is to be used.

13. An air pump for use within a fuel tank to place the fuel under a head of air pressure, said pump comprising a barrel, a plunger operated through the outer end of the barrel, a plug partially inserted for an appreciable distance into the inner end of the barrel, means mechanically locking the plug in the barrel, and an O ring made of a fuel-resistant rubber positioned between the inner end of the barrel and the outer part of the plug, there being an air passage between the inside of the barrel and the inner surface of the O ring, whereby said ring acts both as a seal between the plug and the barrel and as a check valve for the pump action, said plug being annularly channeled and stepped to provide an annular seat spaced from the inner end of the barrel, said O ring being received between the end of the barrel on one side and the seat on the other.

14. A pump as dened in claim 13, in which the periphery of the part of the plug received within the barrel is axially serrated to provide air passages between the inside of the barrel and the 0 ring.

15. An air pump for use within a fuel tank to place the fuel under a head of air pressure, said pump comprising a barrel, a plunger operated through the outer end of the barrel, a plug partially inserted for an appreciable distance into the inner end of the barrel, means mechanically locking the plug in the barrel, and an O ring made of a fuel-resistant rubber positioned between the inner end of the barrel and the outer part of the plug, there being an air passage between the inside of the barrel and the inner surface of the O ring, whereby said ring acts both as a seal between the plug and the barrel and as a check valve for the pump action, said plug being annular ly channeled and stepped to provide an annular seat spaced from the inner end of the barrel, said O ring being received between the end of the barrel on one side and the seat on the other, said barrel end and seat being disposed at an acute angle.

16. A pump as defined in claim 12, in which the barrel has an externally threaded bushing located intermediate its ends, whereby the pump may be received in a matingly threaded opening in the wall of the fuel tank in which the pump is to be used.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 559,957 Stoddard May 12, 1896 1,366,151 Astrom Jan. 18, 1921 1,396,494 Wright Nov. 8, 1921 2,313,284 Valentine Mar. 9, 1943 2,671,466 Conrad Mar. 9, 1954 

